Afriwave Not Paid For Monitoring International Calls – Gov’t

Government has rejected claims that it is paying two companies to monitor international calls leading to a financial loss to the state.

The Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng, alleged that the Communications Ministry had ‘criminally’ engaged another company Afriwave Telcom Ltd to monitor international calls which Subah Info Solutions is already engaged to do.

He argued that such arrangement is against the laws of the country hence the directive must be immediately reversed.

The MP argued in a letter he addressed to the Minister of Communications that although a contract with Subah Info Solutions will expire in May 2016, government has through the National Communications Authority (NCA) “directed network providers to allow another private company, Afriwave Telecom
Ltd, access to their facilities for Afriwave to do the same monitoring that Subah Info Solutions is already doing.”

But a letter from the Communications Ministry in response to the claims by Kwaku Kwarteng said they are untrue.

“To his knowledge, no money has been paid by the NCA to Afriwave Telecom Ltd (Hence no double payment for that matter),” a statement from the Ministry stated.

The statement signed by Issah Yahaya, Chief Director at the Communications Ministry explained that the NCA decided to allow Afriwave to carry out monitoring trials on the facilities so that “by the expiry of the existing contract in May 2016 the nation will not lose revenue as a result of the transition.”

The Ministry further discounted claims that the Minster has any interest in Afriwave and that “It is unfair to suggest that he personally directed network providers to grant Afriwave access to their facilities, a function and mandate which is clearly the responsibility of the National Communications Authority (NCA).”

The statement further assured that “the Ministry of Communications will always avail itself for constructive engagement.”